APS International Programs

International Travel Grant Award Program

The International Travel Grant Award Program (ITGAP) was established to promote international scientific collaborations between APS members and physicists in developing countries. Grant recipients receive up to US$2,000 for travel and lodging expenses for international travel while visiting a collaborator for at least one month. One or both partners in the collaboration must be a member of at least one of the APS units that supports ITGAP*. There are two competitive application cycles each year. ITGAP website

* Forum on International Physics (FIP), and the Divisions of Nuclear Physics (DNP), Physics of Beams (DPB), Particles and Fields (DPF) and Plasma Physics (DPP).

Journal Distribution

A. Free online access for institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa & Bangladesh

In 2006, the American Physical Society established a program that provides free on-line access to its journals for non-profit institutions located in eligible countries in Sub-Saharan Africa through 2008. In addition, Bangladesh was added in 2007.  This program is made available through the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) Programme for the Enhancement of Research Information (PERI). PERI provides researchers in developing and transitional countries with access to international, scholarly literature from a wide range of disciplines. PERI website

B. ICTP Electronic Journals Delivery Service

APS participates in the Electronic Journals Delivery Service (eJDS), which is administered by the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP).  This service is aimed at providing scientific literature to scientists at institutions in developing countries that do not have access to sufficient bandwidth, thus, making it impossible or too difficult to download material from the Internet.  Through eJDS, scientists receive individual mathematics and physics journal articles via e-mail. eJDS website

C. CD-ROM versions of APS journals

Each year, APS provides ICTP with a limited number of CD-ROMs that ICTP distributes to academic and research institutions in developing countries. The CD-ROMs are mounted on a server for use by individuals at that institution.

D. FIP Journal and Book Exchange Program

The APS Forum on International Physics (FIP) maintains a list of prospective donors and the books and/or journals that they have available for donation. The recipient typically pays for shipping. Additional information is available on FIP’s website.

E. Consortia

APS has established multi-institutional agreements (consortia) in many countries to help broaden access to institutions that might otherwise be unable to afford or gain access.

F. Iraqi Virtual Science Library

APS is one of many publishers that are partners in the Iraqi Virtual Science Library (IVSL). The IVSL is a digital portal that provides Iraqi universities and research institutes with free access to millions of full text articles from over 17,000 premier scientific and engineering journals and their archives, in addition to technical content and educational resources. Its goal is to help rebuild the educational and scientific infrastructure in Iraq. The IVSL is a broad public/private partnership with participants from several U.S. government agencies, private companies, professional scientific associations, technology companies, scientific publishers and information providers. IVSL website

Lectureships

Each year the APS Committee on International Scientific Affairs (CISA) invites the APS Divisions, Topical Groups, and Forums to submit nominations of candidates for four lectureships that are awarded each year. The lectureships support travel for distinguished speakers during units’ sessions at the March and April APS meetings.

  • The Beller Lectureship was endowed by the estate of Esther Hoffman Beller for the purpose of bringing distinguished physicists from abroad as invited speakers at APS meetings. Beller Lectureship website
  • The Marshak Lectureship, endowed by the late Ruth Marshak in honor of her late husband and former APS president, Robert Marshak, provides travel support for physicists from developing nations or Eastern Europe who are invited to speak at APS meetings. Marshak Lectureship website

Visa Information

The APS visa web site provides APS members and international visitors with information and news on matters related to U.S. visas. This site serves as a resource for updates on U.S. visa policy as well as information on how to apply for a visa to the United States. More Information.

Matching Membership Program

The Matching Membership Program was established in order to make APS membership available to physicists living in developing and hard-currency-poor countries. Through the Program, individuals residing in eligible countries may apply for a reduced-cost membership (i.e., Matching Membership). Matching Membership is available in one of two categories:

  • Sponsored: A half-price membership is available to those who have an individual or institution who will sponsor them and provide payment. Members at this level can subscribe to a maximum of one (1) journal at member rates and register for APS meetings at member rates, in addition to receiving APS News and Physics Today. Participation is limited to six years.
  • Fund: A free membership is available to individuals on a limited basis. Applicants who are unable to pay and who do not have a sponsor may request APS support. The term of participation in the Fund category of the Matching Membership Program is four years.  Participants receive APS News and Physics Today as part of their membership.  While no journal publications are included in this category of the Matching Membership Program, some participants may be eligible to access APS journals for free via other programs.  More Information.

Enrollment in the Matching Membership Program is limited to 1.5% of the current APS membership level. Matching Membership Program website

Human Rights

APS is committed to the human rights of physicists.  Through its Committee on International Freedom of Scientists, APS monitors and advocates for the rights of individual scientists in the United States and around the globe.  The Society also awards the Andrei Sakharov Prize every two years to a scientist “to recognize outstanding leadership and/or achievements…in upholding human rights.” Please see APS Human Rights website and Andrei Sakharov Prize website.